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Our sponsors have come through with some amazing donated items for the live auction Saturday night! If you like ropes, draws, packs, duffles, shoes, and headlamps, this is the auction for you. Bring your clams, shillings, or buttons to get in on this huge gear give-away! All proceeds benefit the American Alpine Club and NRAC.

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If you know anything about me at all, you probably know that since we wrapped the 2013 Homoclimbtastic Convention last July, I have been swimming in a pool of bow ties. As much as I despise the word “literally,” I would use it here to emphasize the point and sound more hip and trendy–but no. I’m no Rachel Zoe. Not even close.

Aside from bow ties, Homoclimbtastic is a cause near and dear to my heart, and to the hearts of countless others. Everybody who works for Homoclimbtastic has a real live day job (or night job, or both, depends on what they’re into), and we all use the time we have left over to work and plan this great big homo-ho-down in the gorge every summer. It’s a labor of love, and the reward is SO gratifying regardless of the lack of paychecks. So for me, whilst in the throes of bow tie fabrics, patterns, websites, buyers, and inventories, Homoclimbtastic planning crept slowly into the present. No lie, July seems really far away when it’s October. With a dedicated team of planners and volunteers and phone calls out the wazoo over the past few months, the registration is finally open for this year’s convention. Remember that little tiny note that hit the Facebooks with some dates on it back in November? November.. that was ages ago, right? Yeah, that note was tiny, I know. Well anyway, those dates stuck (not so surprisingly, it has been that same weekend for like, four years). If you missed it, it’s JULY 16-20, 2014. That’s a Wednesday thru a Sunday. To optimize your climbing time with the big group, you’ll want to arrive sometime on Wednesday and plan to leave sometime on Monday. If you’re adventurous and really super excited to be in West Virginia, plan to come early or stay late… we don’t mind, and we love it when people are really into it and the energy is super high all the way through the convention. Just don’t burn out before everybody starts climbing on Thursday! If you plan to stretch your trip out, remember that other groups may be on the campground or may have cabins reserved before and/or after our official dates– that’s Nancy’s call– but it’s all us from Wednesday thru Sunday.

So what’s happening this year? Well, we have a whole lot of options to consider, and some more phone calls, emails, letters, carrier pigeons, etc to send, but as soon as more things are nailed down, we’ll broadcast to the interwebs for everybody to see. We know for sure that The American Alpine Club will be joining us again this year (yay!) and we’ll be doing another auction of some super cool sponsored gear and stuff… you won’t want to miss that. It’s going to be a little different this year, though; the auction will be a smaller part of our overall evening entertainment, and you should prepare to be entertained. Porsche Ferrari will be joining us again this year– when she starts her engines, she’ll drag the house down. Literally? No. Well, maybe in drag-speak. Not going there.

Cantrell’s is our host again this year, and they couldn’t be happier to have us back. Every time I talk to Nancy on the phone, it’s an outpouring of love that can’t be matched. Their campground is more than just a venue for our little gathering, it is our home away from home for five hot summer days. It is the South, after all. When Richie, Nancy, Jessie and the gang are around, it’s like we’re all at home and they’re our family.

Chrischris@homoclimbtastic.com

If you forgot some gear, or it got lost on your flight out, or you never had it in the first place but want it so bad you can taste it, WaterStone Outdoors is our local go-to for everything you could possibly want from gear to raincoats to socks. Check them out on Facebook, too, they would love to be your friend.

So for now, get to that registration page, register, and email me if you want to get on the cabin list.

< that’s me.. the one in the bow tie.

Come back to the website often for updates on all things Homoclimbtastic Convention (yes, they will happen from time to time)! As always, check out the Facebook page and group to learn more about Homoclimbtastic, other LGBT rock climbing organizations, and rock climbing in general.

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Well folks, it’s time to get this show on the road! See the information below to ensure the best possible experience at Homoclimbtastic 2013! I advise you to print this for easy reference.

start your engines, ’cause here we go!

ITINERARY

WEDNESDAY

8AM – 8PM Check-In with Chris at Cantrell’s in Fayetteville

Go climb if you arrive early

Dinner OYO – Support Local Business!

Campsite Mix & Mingle

THURSDAY

8AM Breakfast at Cantrell’s

8:45AM Welcome and Morning Announcements

9AM – 6PM Climbing

8PM Pies and Pints Pizza Night

FRIDAY

8AM Breakfast at Cantrell’s

8:45AM Morning Announcements and Ice-Breakers

9AM – 6PM Climbing

9AM – 1PM Whitewater Rafting

7PM Dinner OYO or at Cantrell’s Pub

8PM Homoclimbtastic Documentary Screening: Climbing With Pride

Campsite Games and Comedy Show

SATURDAY

8AM Breakfast at Cantrell’s

8:45AM Morning Announcements

9AM – 6PM Climbing at Summersville

7PM Dinner OYO – Support Local Business!

8PM Presentation by Lisa Hummel for American Alpine Club

HC/AAC/NRAC Auction with Hostess, Porsche Ferrari

Dance Party all night at the Bar

SUNDAY

9AM Picnic Brunch at City Hall: Downtown Fayetteville

Announcements and Group Photo

12PM Climbing

Campsite Night

MONDAY

10AM Pack and Depart

time to climb

NOTES

Checking in with Chris upon your arrival is important. Please do not neglect this.

Times listed on this itinerary are tentative, but please make every effort to be ON TIME to the evening events: Pies and Pints, documentary screening, and the auction. Direct from the crag or showered and clean, nobody cares one way or another. Just show up.

Morning announcements can save you lots of headache. Show up on time and listen closely. This is where we will, more-or-less, determine what groups are going to what crags for the day.

Breakfast is provided by Nancy at Cantrell’s for $9 daily.

Saturday’s climbing destination is Summersville for fun group time. Every other climbing destination is yours to pick. Find a group going somewhere fun and hit the trails.

Whitewater rafting is $70. Actual departure and return time may vary from this itinerary.

Cantrell’s and Homoclimbtastic now take PLASTIC! That means you can bring your credit/debit card to pay for various sundries at the campsite and at the big auction. Three cheers! Hooray!

Support local business while you’re visiting Fayetteville. This town does a lot for us, so let’s do our part to make that support reciprocal.

Pay what you owe. Do not assume that things are free. Camping, lodging, food and rafting are the major expenses you should expect during the trip. You’ll want to bring extra for auction items!

Get to know, and exchange telephone numbers with the person driving you to and from the crag. Carpools might take a piece of advice and STICK TOGETHER so nobody gets left behind. Confirm and re-confirm carpool changes. Nobody wants to be left at the crag in the rain all night with no food or water. That would suck.

It might rain. Plan accordingly. There are climbing areas that are always dry and areas that dry quickly… do some research or pay attention at morning announcements.

Homoclimbtastic leaders are NOT climbing instructors. Know what you’re doing or be sure you’re hanging out with someone who does.

Introduce yourself to new people! There are over 150 registered climbers for this year’s event; make new friends… these new friendships can be amazing!

BE SAFE! Wear a helmet when climbing, check and double-check your gear, wear a PFD when rafting, don’t play with poisonous snakes on the approach, use protection between the sheets etc, etc… remember that we’re doing potentially dangerous activities, so use common sense.